DOCUMENT: When Babasaheb sought Shahu Maharaja's financial support
OUR CORRESPONDENT

Bangalore: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has identified his three gurus — Budha, Mahatma Phule and Shahu Maharaj — all from the Backward Castes.

In all the speeches of Kanshi Ram and Mayawati, they acknowledge the contributions of Budha, Phule and Shahu. At all BSP meetings they display the portraits of these three leaders. Dalits all over India pay respects to Narayana Guru and Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy — all from BCs.

Backward Castes are an integral part of the Bahujan Samaj which comprises three sections — SC (20%), ST (10%) and BC (35%) — total 65%, plus Muslims (15%), Christians and Sikhs (5%) - Total 20. The Bahujan Samaj originally envisaged by Budha —meaning the non-Aryan original inhabitants of India — total a formidable 85% of India's population.

Shudras deserve the kick: The rest (15%) are Hindu which includes the shudras who form tje bulk of the Hindu population. These shudras are kicked by the Brahmins as well as by the Bahujan Samaj. The shudras deserve this kick.

Such a Bahujan Samaj (meaning the original inhabitants of India, victims of Aryan oppression) cannot be formed by excluding any of the six sections. This is because the three "religious minorities" also originally belonged to the SC/ST/BC categories.

There may be some contradictions between each group but Babasaheb never made it an issue. He recognised the principal contradiction, Brahminism, and asked the Dalits and others to fight it unitedly.

There may be some alien elements among Muslim, Christian and Sikhs but they are a negligible minority. In Dalit Voice we have never spared these upper caste elements among "religious minorities".

We published above a historical document, Dr. Ambedkar Letter to Shahu Maharaj seeking financial support, to prove how close he was to the Marathas:

Bid to divide BCs criticised: Prof. Gurnam Singh Muktsar, a noted Dalit Sikh leader and a close associate of Kanshi Ram, in his article, "All the gurus of Dr. Ambedkar were BCs" (DV Nov.1, 2003 p.16) says Phule, Shahu and Namdev were BCs. "They created Kabir and Ravidas. In this article the noted Ambedkarite scholar warns against dividing the Bahujan Samaj.

The above letter of Babasaheb shows how intimate he was with Shahu Maharaj, a Maratha, who was responsible for sending him for foreign studies. But some Dalits are criticising Marathi Dalit Daily, Samrat, from Bombay for supporting the Maratha bid to quit Hinduism and embrace a new religion of Shiva Dharma.

In support of Baban Kamble: Dalits being the worst victims of Brahminism, they have identified their principal enemy. Dr. Ambedkar was the first Dalit scholar to launch a war against Brahminism and called upon all Dalits to support anybody who is fighting the principal enemy. The Samrat is a dedicated Ambedkarite daily, and its editor, Baban Kamble, is a noted Ambedkarite scholar. Dalit Voice has fully supported the Samrat efforts.

C/o Henry S. King & Co.
9. Pall Mall, London S.W.
4th September 1921

My Dear Maharajasaheb,
As directed by Mr. Dalvi I am placing my financial difficulties before you in the hope of getting some relief. But I am sorry to have to approach you but thinking that as you had been pleased to regard me as your friend you would do something to enable me to tide over my difficulties. They have chiefly arisen through the fall in the Indian exchange on London. When I left India I had calculated the total expenses I would have to incur for my two years' stay in London and according to then prevailing rate of exchange I found that I had sufficient funds for my purposes. But as the funds had bee invested by a friend with whom I had deposited them, I was not able to transfer them to London at the time when I left India. Last year in the month of December when the funds were sent to me I found that owing to the low rate of exchange the funds realized a sum in London which fell short of the required amount by nearly £ 150. I have to pay £100 for my Law fees and need about another £100 for my return passage to India. In all therefore I need about £200 to tide over my difficulties. I would be very much obliged if Your Highness can see your way to help me with a loan of that amount. I will repay it with interest when I return. The matter is so urgent and I know so few people that I ventured to sound the matter by first approaching Mr. Dalvi and as Your Highness desired me through him, to write directly I feel sure that hopes are not misplaced.

I hope Your Highness is enjoying good health. We need you ever so much for you are the pillar of that great movement towards social democracy which is making its headway in India.

Awaiting the favour of an early reply I am yours sincerely.

B.R. Amedkar
(Source: Shahu Research Institute Kolhapur. Shahu Maharaj commemorative souvenir 1981).
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CPM admits power of caste
OUR CORRESPONDENT

Bangalore: Caste is killing casteists of all varieties. In the latest Parliament elections, caste killed not only the Brahmana Jati Party but confined the Communists to Bengal and Kerala. The Manuwadi marxists have just announced that they too have become victims of "caste identity".

Once every caste finds its roots and strengthens it, every party will die.

Caste-based parties: The CPM Central Committee meeting (Hindu Aug.16, 2004) has admitted this:
The intensification of the caste appeal and fragmentation of political forces on caste lines was one of the problems and that caste-based parties or the appeal of caste leaders in parties have succeeded in wooing away sections of people who should have been mobilised by the CPI(M). Even today, there is hardly any general campaign against caste oppression, or, the disruptive role of caste divisions. It has become all the more important for the party to work out concrete tactics in the respective areas taking into account caste and class configurations.

Marxism promotes Brahminism: The CPM is forced to admit the role played by caste (ethnic identity) because the oppressed people belong to the "low castes". But the party leadership is in the hands of upper caste oppressors. In W. Bengal and Kerala, the party has been promoting Brahminism in the name of Marxism. Both the communist arties (CPM and CPI) would have won the hearts of the oppressed had they heeded the warning sounded by our Editor over 20 years ago. Instead of appreciating our Editor, the marxists frowned upon him. He was hated both by the Left and the Right (BJP and the Congress). The wonder that is India is both the Right and Left are led by the same cross-threadwalas. The future belongs to caste-based parties. The CPM admitted this. But it is too late.